Christmas was eight months off.

"The next morning we had flannel cakes for breakfast. Really, and truly,
they are made of eggs, milk, and flour; but just for fun I pretended to
be astonished, and exclaimed: 'Flannel Cakes! Dear me! who ever heard of
such a thing? Why, Richard, what _are_ they made of? Flannel?'

"'Why, no, you goose,' said Richard, 'they are made of _flannel flour_.'

"I could not help laughing when he called me a goose; but his mother
said he was very naughty; and then he ran and hid his head in her dress
and began to cry. You see, he was a little bit of a boy--and did not
mean to be impolite--and I think myself, I would have been a goose, if I
_had_ really and truly believed the cakes were made of flannel; don't
you, you little darling?

"I have a very curious snake-skin to show you when I return. Edward,
Richard's big brother, found it in the woods, and made it a present to
me. A snake! What a present! and to think of a snake wanting to wriggle
out of his skin! You wouldn't do such a thing, would you?

"Yesterday a beautiful little mulatto girl came to see me, and brought
me, from her mistress, a basket full of splendid flowers. She was about
five years old. A great black man with his head covered with white wool
came with her to take care of her, because she was so little. He looked
as if he had been out in a snowstorm without his hat; but really his
head was white because he was so old. His name was Jeringo. 'Well,
little one,' said I, 'what is your name?'

"'My name Georgia, and I can tell you a story. It is about Blue Man's
Beard.'

"'Oh,' said I, 'I would like to hear that very much indeed.'

"Then she put one little fat hand over the other, drew a long breath,
and began: 'Blue Man's Beard, he dreffel cross, I tell you; and he say
to he _sister_, "Now, don't you go in de rooms; you hear?" and she say,
"No, neber;" but she tell story, and go; and oh, my! she drop de key,
and de key he cum all over wid blood, and she try, try, try, to wipe um
off. But he no cum off--and Blue Man's Beard, he say: "If you don't cum
down I gib you popping." Den her brother he cum and tote her off to he
home, and make a big fire, and burn Blue Man's Beard all up in de fire.'

"'Oh,' said I, 'how glad I am! Aren't you glad?'

"'Ah, no,' she replied, 'I don't want any body to be burn up--make 'em
hurt:' which answer made me feel quite ashamed, because I was more cruel
than she; then I gave Georgia some mone